


Fictober Vignettes

by Fierysky



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Universe, Drabble Collection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-06 03:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16380785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fierysky/pseuds/Fierysky
Summary: Collection of quakerider drabbles for Fictober18 that were too small to be their own stories.





	1. Day 8. Angst.  "I know you do."

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Fictober18! I wasn't able to do a drabble a day, and I did have a few drabbles that were long enough to be their own stories, but these were tiny things, so I'm keeping them here.
> 
> Thanks to @libbyweasley for the advice to make a multi chap to house them!

 

Daisy hugged herself, so she wouldn’t reach out to Robbie. They were in the back seat of a SHIELD SUV waiting on their driver for an op.

She swallowed, knowing it was now or never, they had to stop dancing around this _thing_ between them. She studied his profile as he stared out the window,  the muscle in his jaw working as he pretended to not notice her staring at him.

Daisy inhaled. “I-I love you, Robbie.”

She held her breath, her face on fire waiting for his response as her words echoed in the vehicle, mocking her.

* * *

 

Robbie froze.

Did Daisy just say-?

The demon in his head surfaced. “ _No attachments Roberto. It’s for her own good.”_

“Robbie?” Daisy’s brows creased as she reached out to him. She always had a sixth sense about the voice in his head. “Did you hear me?”  Robbie turned towards her, melting at her chocolate brown eyes. She smiled shyly and his breath caught in his throat. She was goodness incarnate, while he was the devil.

“I love you,” she repeated, gently twining her hand on his. "So much."

Something broke in Robbie as he snatched his hand away.  This was for the best.

“I know you do,” he clenched his jaw as he lied. “But I don’t love you."

* * *

 


	2. Day 13. Brotp w/ May. "Try harder next time."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robbie is a new recruit at SHIELD and Melinda May is putting him through the paces.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Robbie Reyes scowled as he entered the SHIELD training gym, letting the door slam behind him. It was only mid-morning but he’d already had it with SHIELD and their do-good attitudes.

If it wasn’t for his friend Daisy, and the chance of a better future for Gabe, he’d be gone.

“You’re late,” May called out drily, interrupting his thoughts.

Robbie flushed as he approached the training mat. He was behind because of Daisy -she’d kept him back with a long ass lecture about teamwork- but he wouldn’t use her as an excuse.

“Won’t happen again,” he mumbled, lacing up his boxing gloves. He was already dressed down in a heather gray t-shirt and sweats though he kept his signature shoes- black Vans with the white stripe.

SHIELD wasn’t gonna change him completely.

“You know what happens when recruits are late?” May folded her arms with a sly gleam in her eyes.

Robbie paused. “No?” 

May smirked. She’d received a text from Daisy that it was her fault Reyes was late, and to be easy on him, but now Melinda was intrigued. 

Would he fold under pressure to save his skin?

“Drop and give me one hundred push-ups.”

Robbie’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

“Make it two hundred,” May smiled. “One armed.”

The fear in Robbie’s eyes was real.

“You can switch arms after the first hundred.”

“But I’m here to box!”

“And a hundred laps when you’re done,” May added cheerily. "Since you like to talk back."

Robbie shook his head at his stupidity -he should’ve kept his mouth shut- and dropped to the floor. The pushups wouldn’t start themselves.

* * *

 

Daisy slipped into the training gym, eyes on Robbie.

“Hey,” she greeted Agent May. “I’m dropping this off for Director Mack.” She handed her mentor a schedule that would’ve been available online and feigned nonchalance. “How’s Reyes doing?”

“He was late this morning. I’m giving him the standard new recruit treatment.”

Daisy gasped. “But I told you. It was _my_  fault.”

May shrugged. “He doesn’t think so. Can’t let him off the hook if he isn’t honest.”

“But-”

“Robbie shouldn’t let you keep him behind,” May said gently. “I know you care for him. But he’s an Agent of SHIELD now. I can’t be easy on him because he’s your friend.”

“Can you be easy on him cause you’re  _my_  friend?” Daisy’s eyes glimmered. “I’ll take over whatever punishment he has.”

May sighed. 

Wasn’t this what SHIELD was about?

“Reyes,” she barked. “Stop. Johnson is helping you.”

Robbie, who was on the seventy-third pushup on his right arm, collapsed on the training mat, panting heavily.

Daisy hated push-ups but she would do it for Robbie, but when May told her about the laps, she groaned. She hated running even more.

“Either you do it, or Reyes does,” May shrugged, curious to see what they’d do. 

“Please,” Robbie moved forward. “It’s not her fault.”

“It’s not his either,” Daisy grumbled. “He’s just trying to protect me.” 

May smiled, satisfied.

“Daisy. You’re only responsible for one person,” Melinda stated. “Yourself.”

Daisy frowned. She had no idea what that meant.

“Robbie.” May turned to him. “Do you want to help Daisy?”

He nodded.

“Try harder next time,” May said. “Because making excuses isn't going to cut it around here.”

“I’m sorry,” Daisy stepped forward, flushing. “I thought I was helping Robbie.”

May looked expectantly at Robbie.

“I’m not sorry,” he said defensively. “My job is to protect Daisy.”

Daisy scowled and punched him on the shoulder. Did he want May to add squats?

Melinda hid a smile at the pair. As a SHIELD agent, Robbie’s answer was wrong. 

But as a friend?

He passed with flying colors. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing Mama May!


	3. Day 23. “This isn't new, it only feels like it.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set in St. Agnes Orphanage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 23 ! Mary Sue Poots is Daisy's name in the orphanage.

Little Robbie peered at the new girl that Sister McKenna delivered to the common room. She was a little thing, with a scowling face and dressed in outdated clothes too large for her tiny frame, reminding Robbie of a scarecrow.

"We gotta take care of her, _Gabito_ ," Robbie ruffled his baby brother's dark hair. "She's one of us."

Gabe, only a toddler and blissfully unaware of how cruel kids could be, gave a toothy grin and clapped his chubby hands. He wasn't speaking much, wasn't speaking _at all_ truthfully, but anyone who dared make fun of him would find out why Little Robbie got sent away from St. Michael's. 

After seeing mysterious bruises on Gabe, Robbie had skipped class and hid in the vent in Gabe's playroom. When he saw Brother Patrick slap and pinch Gabe repeatedly because he couldn't speak, Robbie seethed but decided to have his revenge. That night, the church almost burned to the ground and though Robbie was caught, they decided to send the boys away in exchange for not bringing up the abuse to the authorities.

The girl noticed Robbie staring and stomped over, tilting her chin up. "What are you looking at?" She smelled like mothballs and he coughed discreetly.

"You remind me of my brother. When he was a baby," Robbie replied candidly. "He cried and screamed a lot. Turns out he was just allergic to milk."

The girl's eyes widened and she looked horrified. "What- what does that even mean? You're like, _weird_." 

"Hey, funny face," a smug voice called out from across the room. "My grandmother called. She needs her couch upholstery back." It was Grant Ward, hall monitor, and bully.

Robbie glared and pushed the girl aside so he could give Ward a piece of his mind when she tugged his shirt.

"He's not worth it," she whispered. "Just ignore him."

Gabe was delightedly pulling at her clothes, happy with the faded rose print on her dress, and she seemed to be happy, but Robbie couldn't let it go.

"He's disrespecting you," he frowned. "He needs to pay."

"Why do you care?" she absently pulled Gabe closer, not minding that he was chewing on her hem now. "You don't even know me."

"Too many wrong things go around in this place," Robbie shook his head. "As long as I'm here, they won't get away with it."

"Don't believe in 'sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me'?" she teased, a smile playing on her lips.

Robbie scoffed, remembering the vitriol Uncle Eli had screamed daily at them.

But maybe this girl didn't have any serial killers in her family.

"Words hurt the most," Robbie said somberly and holding Gabe's hand, he moved to walk away.

"Wait! I'm Mary. Mary Sue Poots."

It was Robbie's turn to look horrified. "You gotta change that when you get a chance."

"What's _your_ name, Hothead?" 

Robbie blinked at the nickname. "Robbie. Robbie Reyes."

* * *

Robbie soon found out that Mary was more trouble than he could ever be, and that despite her outward appearance, she was the coolest person he'd ever met.

"A family is gonna take you, I just know it," he told her one night when they'd snuck out on the roof looking at stars. "I'm not going anywhere without Gabe."

"I'm too old," Mary said, dejectedly. She was dressed in another outfit tragically out of date but thankfully only smelled like laundry detergent. "No one ever wants me."

"I'd want you if I had a family," Robbie told her earnestly.

"You already have one, silly."

Robbie laid back, placing his hands behind his head. He'd thought his family died when his parents died, but she was right. He had Gabe.

"Wanna be a part of our family?" he asked, shyly. "Gabe already thinks you're his big sister."

Mary only looked sad, as she hunched over, her clothes swallowing her body. "It never works out. And I don't know how to be in a family."

“This is not new, it only feels like it,” Robbie said, confidently. "Defend those you love. Make sure they get enough to eat. And listen to them."

Mary sighed and laid next to Robbie, looking up at the moon and stars. He didn't know how lucky he was. To know where he came from, and have a little brother.

He must've picked up on her melancholy because he scooted closer and nudged her shoulder with his.

"Hey," Robbie murmured. "We're friends, right?"

Mary nodded.

"Friends are a type of family, right?"

Mary blinked back tears, but didn't say anything.

And they remained silent, two friends under the night sky. The future was unkown but the understanding that a family can be forged with the bonds of friendship was not.


	4. Day 27. "Remember."  Angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *suicide ideation, non con thoughts* (ghost rider is a jerk)

“Let me take care of you,” Daisy whispered.

Robbie blearily opened his eyes from the SHIELD medical bed then quickly shut it again. He couldn't take her pity, it hurt too much.

“C’mon Robbie." She touched his arm, gently, like that time in the backseat of a SHIELD SUV, a lifetime ago. “Gabe’s worried.”

“Just give me some time,” he muttered. “I need to be alone.” He turned over on the bed, giving her his back, and hopefully, she'd take the hint.

Daisy had rescued him from the Nightmare Realm and while he had no physical scars or bruises, he'd put a bullet in his brain if it'd make the memories stop.

But he couldn't die, and now he was in the mortal realm again, he couldn't live either, not with what he'd been through.

It was his fault, he deserved it for embodying vengeance, his punishment for making a deal with the devil.

“Stop!” Daisy’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts. “Don't listen to-"

“Don't tell me what to do,” Robbie mumbled. He couldn't muster the energy to raise his voice. “SHIELD supports you. You have control of your powers. Your life.”

“I support you. Gabe too. And SHIELD would, if you'd let them.”

“I hate you!“ Robbie roared, scrambling up. Anger sped through his veins and he slid across the bed and grasped Daisy's upper arms, his fingers biting in her flesh. “Get out.”

Daisy shrank back as he loomed over her and it fueled Robbie’s wrath. Why couldn't she hate him like he hated himself?

“Robbie, I-"

“Stop saying that name,” he screamed, chest heaving. “You're nothing to me. You don't belong here!”

The color drained from Daisy's face as she remembered Robbie's warning when she'd rescued him.

That the thing in him controlled him more and more and it was growing corrupted and evil.

And he was losing his humanity.

“Don't let it take over, Robbie.  _Fight_.”

"Get out, Daisy!" Robbie shuddered as his vision dimmed and the Rider taunted him with images of how it would use Daisy's body over and over before crushing her bones.

But she wouldn't leave so he blacked out to prevent the Rider from taking over as Daisy rushed to his side, cradling him in her arms.

* * *

 

**Weeks later, SHIELD medical bed.**

“Kill me, please,” Robbie begged, tears rolling down his face. “Just promise you'll take care of Gabe.”

“I can't get blood on my suit,” Daisy said practically. “And you can't die.”

“If you loved me like you said, you'd find a way."  Robbie’s face crumpled. “Put me out of my misery.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Robbie doesn't talk like that. Try again, you fucking demonic parasite.”

 "It's no fun now you can tell us apart." It smirked, eyes glowing amber."Why don't you tell Robbie you love him, so he can reject you again?"

Daisy tamped down the anger that flared, the Ghost Rider only fed off it.

God, how did Robbie deal with the voice in his head for so long? It was a psychopath prodding him at every turn.

But they were friends, and friends didn't give up on each other.

“Robbie, I know you're in there.” Daisy spoke softly. “Remember. You have to remember. I'm not leaving you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Day 29. “At least it can’t get any worse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to @colaismywater for letting me use her daisy's cozy coffee shop setting! it's a no powers AU where people are happy and philinda is canon and Daisy's parents!

Robbie Reyes stared blankly at his car keys as his baby brother's words echoed in his mind. 

_I hate being poor, we can't do anything!_

Spring break was coming up and Robbie didn't have extra money for Gabe to take the class trip. _It's a rite of passage,_ Gabe had argued, _everyone's going except for me._

Robbie left the house with his failure weighing heavily on him and he automatically started driving to _Daisy's Cozy Coffeeshop._ Daisy's dad Phil had named the place after her, but she ran it now that she'd finished college, and it was his second home.

"Robbie!" she waved when he entered the shop, then wrinkled her brow. "Everything okay?"

"Me and Gabe had another fight."

"I'm sorry." She came from behind the counter and embraced him. “At least it can’t get any worse, right?" 

Robbie closed his eyes as he hugged her back. Daisy was his best friend, as close to him as Gabe and he couldn't imagine life without her.

"Do you have any lemon cake?" He avoided her question because recently he'd been obsessing everything that could go wrong. Namely, Gabe leaving home at eighteen and never coming back because his big brother sucked.

"Shove that voice in your head away." Daisy shook him. "You control what you think about."

"Come sit with me when you get a chance?"  Robbie asked as he slid into the booth near the door; Daisy was always putting her psychology degree to use. 

"Only if you help me close up the place!"

 

* * *

 

Daisy changed the _Open_ sign to _Closed_ and with a sigh, flopped on the chair across from Robbie.

"Thanks for hanging out," she yawned. "And for brewing more coffee when I had the long line."

"Put your feet up while I clean up." Robbie was already standing. "You need to rest a little."

Daisy snorted at Robbie's tone. When they were kids, his bossiness was a sore point but as they grew older and became close friends she realized it was his way of taking care of the people he loved. 

She kicked off her shoes, and stretched her legs, wiggling her toes in her fuzzy socks. Her part-timer had called out _again_ and she'd been on her feet all day without a break and was bone weary.

Robbie appeared with a steaming mug of hot cocoa with an obscene amount of marshmallows and rested it on the table.

Daisy smiled her thanks, glad that Robbie didn't need to be entertained with chatter though she felt a pang of guilt as he swept and wiped down the counters, then changed the trash and cleaned the espresso machine.

"Keep this up and I'll need to put you on the payroll," she teased, as she slurped the last of her cocoa. "You'd look cute with our apron on."

Robbie rolled his eyes and lifted her feet so he could sit and absently started massaging the sole of her left foot.

"What did you and Gabe argue about?" Daisy leaned back, comfortable with Robbie.

Robbie shrugged, ashamed to talk about money.

"Does it have anything to do with the trip to Santa Barbara?" Daisy shamelessly stuck her right foot on his lap so it could get a massage too. "Gabe texted me about it."

"What did he say?" Robbie scowled. If Gabe asked her for money-

"He wanted to surprise you with a souvenir and wanted my opinion on what to buy."

Tears prickled at the back of Robbie's eyes. Beneath his prickly exterior, his little brother was sweet, always had been since he was a baby.

"Gabe deserves better." Robbie looked away, his mouth trembling.

"You're too hard on yourself." Daisy straightened up as she realized just how upset Robbie was. "What do you need?"

Robbie shook his head. "You ready to lock up?"

"Is it money? You know I can help-"

"I don't want your charity." Robbie stood up and stuck his hands in his jacket. "Hey, I gotta go. It's late."

"You're not going anywhere," Daisy said sharply, sticking her feet back in her shoes. "We're way past this 'charity' bullshit."

"I'm not taking money from you-"

"You can borrow it?" Daisy threw her hands up. "It's not that hard."

"If I knew I could pay it back, I'd just take a loan from the bank," Robbie snapped, his pride hurt that he had to spell out how broke he was. 

"It's a gift then." Daisy's stubbornness matched Robbie's.

"You gonna gift me close to a grand?" Robbie's face was on fire, his humiliation complete, now that Daisy knew he couldn't even scrape together a few hundred dollars and put the rest on a credit card like most people. He spun on his heel to walk away but barely made two steps before Daisy hauled him back.

"You don't get to treat me like a stranger." She pushed him, her eyes flashing. "You can damn well bring your ass here every night and on the weekends till you pay me back. But you don't get to act like I mean nothing."

Robbie froze at her words. "Dais, you mean everything to me."

"And you can't let me help you? You gonna just walk away while we're talking?" She pushed him again.

Robbie softened. "I'm sorry. I know you hate that." He pulled her in for a hug and rested his chin on her head. "I was getting-" He searched for the right word. "Scared."

Daisy nestled in his chest and squeezed him tighter. "What are you scared of?"

A long pause.

"You'll see for me for who I am," Robbie said, wearily. "And you won't like it. And you won't want me around." Who was he? A high school drop-out, who couldn't provide for his family, and was too proud to accept help.

Daisy untangled herself, so she could cup his face, her eyes shimmering with tears. "I already see you. And I love you. You're my best friend, even when you're being a jackass."

The corner of Robbie's mouth lifted, as he wiped away a tear that spilled over on Daisy's cheek. "I love you, too. Even when you're a know-it-all." He pulled Daisy in for another hug. "I guess you can loan me the money. And I can come in at night till it's paid off."

"I don't care about the money." Daisy's voice was shaky. "Just don't leave me, okay?"

Robbie's throat closed up. "I won't," he promised. "Ever."

And he didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!


	6. Day 30. Enemies. Angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: “Do we have to do this again?”

"Do we have to do this again?” Director Daisy Johnson flung her tablet on her desk where it slid across the mahogany top to Agent Robbie Reyes’ lap. “Do you see these headlines? President Ellis and the media are on my ass like white on rice!”

Robbie was too ashamed to look at Daisy- he hated disappointing her as much as he hated himself- so he picked up the tablet.

 _Inhuman Murderer Employed at SHIELD!_ The first headline screamed and he uneasily read the others.

 _Can Inhumans be Trusted?_ _Fire Director Johnson and Disband SHIELD!_

_Director Daisy Johnson- Malicious? Or Merely Incompetent?_

The last one was a blow to his gut, and his fingers trembled. “I’m sorry, Daisy. I-”

“That’s Director Johnson,” Daisy barked, slamming her hands on her desk. “You think you can murder in cold blood and apologize? Do you know the red tape-?”

“Fuck the red tape,” Robbie growled, standing up suddenly, knocking his chair back. “Those men got what they deserved.” He stared Daisy down as he remembered the dirty souls of those pedophiles. “Or now that you’re Director,  you’re okay with kids being raped?”

Daisy recoiled as if she’d been slapped. “Fuck you.” She tilted her head, inspecting him like he was a bug. “You don’t decide who lives and dies. You can’t tell a Judge that a “demon” told you what to do.”

Robbie shrugged. “I stand by my decision. It was the right thing to do.”

“You leave me no choice.” Daisy almost teared up, but the few months of being Director had hardened her in a way her childhood never did. And pressing a button under her desk, the vents emitted a gas that would hit Robbie before the Rider came out. It was the same one that Deke used on her in the Future so he could sell her to Kasius.

Deke was a little shit, but he had his uses.

Robbie’s eyes grew wild as he realized he’d been betrayed.

“I’ll make sure we take care of Gabe,” Daisy assured him, putting on her gas mask. “But you’re a threat. To the public. And to SHIELD.”

She watched as the medics took him away, hoping it was the right decision.

God help her if it wasn't.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was antagonistic, sorry!

**Author's Note:**

> I love interacting, comments and feedback welcome!  
> *I completed 6 days of Fictober 2018. I hope to do more next year!*


End file.
